The General Difference: Where All Paths End
by DaughterOfSorceress-Lion
Summary: As time went on, the loops continued, her power grew. Defeated again, Ultimicia held on to Time long enough to change the past in her favor, or so she hoped. Life from Death, Power from Life. Time changes all; all but the bond between sorceress and knight
1. Timeline's Crossings

**The General Difference**

Summary: After gaining strength in the abyss that time compression has been labeled to be after thousands of time loops, Ultimicia could finally change things. A new timeline, a new story, a new chance at success. This is an Alternate Universe, one bent in Ultimicia's favor... but what she never understood was that even the creator of time, Hyne herself, did not understand her own creation. Time was both a creation and byproduct of Humanity... Time itself is alive, wrapping itself to the decisions made by all entities and the effects upon others each decision has. Ultimicia wore time thin, making it weaker and weaker with every passing loop. She made her decision within time... within that living entity... within that which changes with every decision. And so Squall, Rinoa, and the rest of the gang must overcome not just Ultimicia, but time as well. With Time itself against them... can they still succeed?

AN: To be honest this story has no future set in stone. It's going to be here for me to work on when I get writers block for my other two projects, one is up, one is not. So far, having a few difficulties of getting from point A to point B. So I have no idea when I will work on this and when I won't, it's just something fun for me… any reviews will be welcomed even though this is probably a way over done sorta thingamadoodle… ah that is… storyline idea.

Disclaimer: I no own ff8, just this little AU idea.

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~ Timeline's Crossings ~

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Ultimicia flew through time, as she lived her last moments as time itself. She was dying and she lost control, her rage insurmountable. She hated them, she wanted to make their lives miserable. Perhaps not the universe they would go back to, but she would make a new one while she could. One filled with suffering, one filled with pain. One that would tear these six SeeD's to pieces before they reached the age that they could destroy her. They would pay for their alternate persona's sins. They defied her power. She held more power than Hyne herself. This loop of events had gone on for far too long. She was tired, she wanted it to end. She wanted everything to end. She would make a new universe, she would be it's god, she would die, that universe would be in chaos. They would pay.

* * *

"Now!" The tractor beam turned on but Adel, still stood where Laguna had shoved her. She swiped her hand at him flinging him off into a corner, and left him for dead.

* * *

Jerry was your average guy. He was driving, like he did everyday, listening to the radio, whistling to the tune. He drove a military truck. He was going to be sent to the Winhill front soon. He didn't want to leave his precious Katie, nor his little squirt Selphie. He thought of Katie, she was sick, he really didn't want to leave her like that, he hated this stupid draft. But to serve one's country, to protect one's family against the evil that was Adel… he couldn't disagree with having the draft.

A ravishing woman with what looked like grey Viking horns on her head, appeared out of nowhere. He slammed on the breaks and swerved to the next lane going the same direction. He didn't check his mirrors, he didn't have time. He slammed another car off the road into the opposite lane.

Two crashes.

His world was enveloped in flame.

* * *

A little girl of the age of three was sitting in a wheelchair with a cast on her leg. She looked at her mothers grave, freshly dug. Just staring at it.

"_Mommy I don't want to go." The little girl pouted in the backseat as her mother gazed at her through the rearview mirror._

"_Rinoa, you'll be great. I know you will, your teacher said that you're the best three year old ballerina they have." The little girl continued to pout. They were in the left lane and were beginning to pass a military truck to their right._

"_Your father would be proud of y…." The car jerked left as the truck slammed into them, thrusting them into the other side of the road. Julia knew that there was nothing to be done. As the car slid into the other lane the driver side was hit by an oncoming car. The hood crunched, forcing the steering wheel into Julia's chest breaking a few ribs, puncturing her lungs and the dash coming with it, glass flying everywhere._

_Rinoa was on the passenger side in the back of their white car. Within direct eye sight of her mother if need be. She watched in a dazed horror as glass cut her mother, as it cut herself, her seatbelt locked. The drivers air bag expanded crushing the mother of that little girl even further back into the seat, her head being shoved to look to the passenger side of the car at an odd angle._

_A bright light enveloped Julia as she smiled lightly for her daughter who was near tears, who had several scratches on her face, her hair was hanging towards the ceiling. The car had rolled over, they were upside down._

"_Momma?"_

"_I love you sweetheart, I will forever be watching over you." She said it calmly. Rinoa was sobbing, her tears falling on her eyelashes, eyebrows, forehead, her hair. Her mother's eyes, her warm chocolate loving eyes that always held comfort for Rinoa, they were fading. Everything was fading._

"_I Klaim your soul for eternity, time will not wait for you. I will not wait for time."_

_Everything was white. Everything was black. Everything was grey, tinted by crimson blood.._

Rinoa saw flowers, she saw Red roses. That was the only color she saw now, Red. Doctors said that the light from the flames must have burned her retina. So now, Everything was White, Grey, Black, and Red. The kids at the orphanage she had been sent to had laughed at this, saying all she could see was the news papers. Her mother had always complained about the newspapers, all gloom and doom. Adel still reigned free. The war had taken her father away. She didn't know where to, all she knew was she wanted him back, needed him to come back. But the rest of Galbadia needed him too. All of her other family members close, and not where either in the war or had too much going on to add a kid to their responsibilities. Thus she was in an orphanage, a colorless ruthless orphanage. A man walked up to her.

"Your mother was a good woman, kindhearted, beautiful singer… You look a lot like her." She looked up to the man. She was shocked, he was in full color, though his cloths were still grey. He kneeled down by her.

"My name is Cid, I help take care of an orphanage away from here. I was told that you and another girl and boy are having difficulty here."

_A woman came to pick her up from the hospital. She already had another girl with her. She held the same look that Rinoa saw on her face in the mirror, though for some reason, she could see the color of this girls eye's. As they drove back, both set down their wish to be alone so that they could find peace in the company of one who looked in much the same situation._

"_Hi. My name's Selphie."_

"_I'm Rinoa… What happened?" Why did this other girl have this same look._

"_My dad was driving a truck, he crashed another car into the other side of the road, his truck blew up. My mom died from cancer the night after he left." Rinoa could feel the sweltering rage in her veins, how she wanted to place the blame on this girl, but she knew that's not where it belonged._

"_I was in the other car, my mom died. My dad is missing." Selphie looked shocked, then saddened. _

"_I'm sorry." _

"_It's not your fault."_

_They had arrived at the overcrowded orphanage. They were let loose into a wild atmosphere. A little boy was being picked on… another who's eyes held color for Rinoa. The injustice hit both girls. They ran to stand up for this boy they didn't know who sat in a corner wearing rags for clothing . That had set them up for the same fate._

Rinoa still did not talk. Still in shock at seeing a full range of colors.

"I'm here to take you three and two others someplace else, it's out of the way, but it's nice. Small, but not overcrowded. Think you'd like that?" Finally she looked at the man again, finally seeing two others waiting in the distance… a dark boy and a light haired girl with a darkly shaded eye patch, both had color eye's like her two other friends.

"Selphie and Irvine will come right?" The man smiled.

"Yes."

"Ok."

* * *

He heard El call his name and went running.

"Coming!" He ran to the other side of the orphanage were he and his sister hung out a lot. It was by a small field of wildflowers he and Ellone had helped plant shortly after they were brought here… ok, so maybe not so much him, as Ellone, as he was still a baby at the time. He ran up to his sister and saw three new kids. And everyone else was there as well, even uncle Cid.

"Hi!" He said trying to be a little upbeat, there faces were sad, like what Sis's face looked like sometimes when she thought she was alone. All three of them and his sister looked at him. He felt suddenly very small underneath their numb stare, but El made it not so bad as she pulled him into her embrace standing behind him.

"Fujin, Rajin, Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine… this is Squall, Ellone, Seifer, Quistis, and Zell." Matron pointed to each as their name was said. "This is a smaller place than you are probably used to, but it is also less crowded. I hope you can enjoy it here." All three had their eyes on the ground, slowly becoming more comfortable with their new situation. Rinoa kept sneaking looks at the boy… Squall, he seemed so happy. How could anyone be so happy when they were alone?

"Come, it's dinner time. Hotdogs and a campfire." Cid informed them.

"YES!" Zell yelled.

"Do you know what goes into those things?" Quistis shouted at the jumping child. Ellone let go of Squall as she attempted to get Zell to Settle down.

"Chicken…" Seifer lowered his voice conspiratorially, "…butts." Quistis burst out laughing. The five new kids, giggled lightly. They all looked at each other with interest, the girl… Rinoa seemed to be looking his way a bit much. As children they locked eye's, green and brown, brown and blue, then blue eyes met green.

"What's up, Squally gonna cry cause sissy left him?"

"Seifer!" Matron yelled, but it was too late. Squall wasn't even close to tears, he was too busy thinking about the new girl with black hair… she was pretty. But Seifer's remark left him empty… an empty quickly filling with rage as it always was with Seifer and him. Squall yelled as he pounced on Seifer not giving him a chance to turn away… he would pay for that remark.

Punches and thrashes were traded as Cid and Matron pulled the two apart. Dirty and bloody the two were sent to wash up and go to bed with no dinner. It didn't matter to them, Sis always snuck them both plates when they got into fights like this. What neither they or Cid knew was that Edea made them and gave them to Ellone to deliver. It was as it always was with one exception. His dreams were no longer filled with just the faces and voices of his mother and sister, that new girl was there too, only there was no voice to match, only a giggle… a giggle that sounded like it belonged to an angel in one of Matron's stories. Tomorrow, he resolved, he would hear her voice in his dreams too.

* * *

Rinoa lay in her new bed several nights later, thinking over her peculiar situation. No one here was fully grey to her… other than herself that was. No matter if she ever wore red, she was always grey… until she looked into a mirror, then she saw all her color. The mirror did much the same for Matron and Ellone, though she could see their eye color without the mirror. Come to think of it, if she could see herself without a mirror, she might be able to see her eye color too. But just the same, she could see red on them, but not on herself. She could see everyone's eyes here. She could see Cid's and Seifer's skin as in color well. And the most odd of anyone there was Squall. No matter what he wore, he was always in full color. Blue shirts, yellow shirts, red shirts and anywhere in between. He was always in full color… the mirror did not change that.

Everyone here had a particular dynamic, they fit together like one of her fathers favorite puzzles. She was happy here… so where Selphie and Irvine. Zell was a great friend and loads of fun. Fujin and Rajin, the ones Cid had picked up from Trabia seemed to have latched onto Seifer, he seemed perfectly fine with it. Seifer was nice, but he… he had issues, then again, who there didn't.

But Squall… the boy who's smile could light up the world. He really only smiled at his sister, but he was always very curious. He had asked all the new arrivals questions their first full day there, the day after their arrival. He was so sweet. And her only source of full color… of what it used to be like before…she stopped that train of thought before it could start and just settled with… what it was like before.

She decided that one day…maybe not soon, but someday… Squall wouldn't just smile at her, he'd smile _for_ her.

* * *

He was sitting out in the flower field again. He loved it here. Sis was out watching after everyone else playing Light Tag. His ankle felt better after Ellone and Matron had taken care of it, but it still hurt. He heard some rustling behind him. There was only one person that would give up Light Tag to come check on him… well ok if he included Sis, then there would be two… but she was watching everyone else, and he was supposed to be in bed.

"Squall?" _Yup_… he grinned. He playfully ignored her call. Then he got mauled. She was careful not to hurt his ankle, but she was roughing around just the same. Both were giggling. She ungracefully landed on top of him when they were both worn out. He wrapped his arms around his best friend as she rested her head on his chest, still both carefully insuring his ankle wasn't hurt.

"How's your ankle?" She asked.

"It's better." He closed his eye's and smiled as her hair tickled his nose. It was silent for a while. She made a movement to get up and he let go. She rolled of so that she too could lay looking up at the night sky.

_Squall climbed up a tall hill of rubble and dirt, leftovers from the construction of the orphanage. Matron and Cid assumed it was far enough away from the actual orphanage for anyone to find it. As with all little children curiosity was more than willing to kill the cat. Seifer and Irvine had found it and both had dared everyone else to go to the top, claiming that they already had. It wasn't that high, and it looked fun so why not._

"_Squall you shouldn't do that!" Rinoa yelled at him, she had already threatened to find Sis, or Matron, Cid wasn't here again so he wasn't an option. He hadn't paid any attention. He was almost to the top and Seifer and Irvine were eating his dust. He would get to the top first, what neither he nor Irvine knew was that Seifer was laughing on the ground with Fujin and Rajin loyally at his side, watching the two race to the top as Rinoa and Selphie freaked out. Quistis and Zell had decided to stay and keep Sis company so she wouldn't suspect something._

_But Zell being Zell couldn't keep his mouth shut. Ellone was rushing as quickly after Zell and Quistis as she could. Then she saw her precious little brother standing on the top of a rather large pile of debris and Irvine not far below him._

"_Squall!" Ellone yelled. Both Irvine and Squall where startled. Matron caught Irvine before he fell, but Squall tumbled over backwards._

"_Squall!" Rinoa shrieked as Everyone else other than Seifer cried out for his safety. He had landed on his knees with his left ankle at an odd angle. Matron carried him back as he tried to hide his tears of pain. Rinoa hadn't talked to him since that morning._

"When you fell… I was scared." Squall moved his eyes from the sky to Rinoa.

"Of what?"

"That you would go away. like my mommy did." _She was afraid I was going to die?_

"Just… be careful. Ok?" She wouldn't meet his stare. Her eye's were glassy reflecting the starlight. A few tears escaped out the side's of her eyes. He moved to his side and wiped the tears with his thumb.

"Ok… I'll be here… I won't go away…" A smile lit her face as she finally looked at him, her back still flat on the ground. She looked back to the sky as he continued to look at her. He saw a flash of light in the sky reflect of her eyes. He could see her thinking of the wish she wanted to make. He wished for one thing… _I wish that we will always be with each other!_ She looked at him again still smiling.

"Promise you won't go away?" He smiled back at her.

"I promise!"

* * *

Squall rocked himself back and forth sitting on the ground on the beach. Light house was lighting the surrounding lightly, but the rain subdued the illumination. The rain mixed with one boys tears. Everyone else was inside with Matron. He knew Cid was probably out getting wet looking for him, but he was just so alone. He knew that everyone else was feeling down too, but none of them were as close to El as he was. His sister, his family was gone. Disappeared after a short goodbye in the middle of the night. He was soaked, he was dirty, he was in agony. So small a child, so young, and yet so…. So very alone.

"Squall there you are, I've looked everywhere for you, we've all been worried." Squall knew his time to himself to wallow in self-pity was up. He walked to Cid, he walked passed him without a word, to the house. He was still soaked, but the air was warm, It wasn't dark, it wasn't night on the inside. All of the faces were downcast at the loss of their older sibling, but none compared to the face they all saw when that little boy walked in. He saw everyone paired up, Selphie crying with Irvine, Zell crying with Quistis, Rinoa crying with Seifer her second favorite… or maybe Seifer was her first pick… Squall was alone. So, very, very alone. He headed towards the boy's room in dejection when she called his name.

"Squall…?" The tearless yet incredibly solemn face that Squall held lifted to see the tear streaked cheeks of the one other girl he truly trusted. She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. His face buried in her hair. Matron comforted Seifer in Rinoa's stead. Cid stood close to his wife.

"Rinny…?" Squall finally said as he began to join her in sobbing. Although this moment would fade in their memories, the feeling of being held by the other… the feeling of being comforted by the other… that would never go away.

Who knew how long they stood there crying in each others arms. They didn't. They didn't care. Cid and Matron eventually put everyone to bed, but Rinoa and Squall refused to let go of each other. They clung to each other throughout the night laying on the living room couch covered in a few blankets. As long as they had each other they'd be ok.

* * *

Squall was happy for her, she had family that wanted her. But at the same time he couldn't help but hate the man that stood before him. Rinoa was saying her goodbye's as the man waited for his daughter. Then it was his turn at last. They didn't make eye contact. They both knew the end result would be an endless run of tears. No words were exchanged, only a brief embrace between friends… friends who's hearts were being squashed to pieces by this man that was taking her away.

After Ellone had left, they clung to each other as much as they could for nearly a week. Beyond that they both slowly, well to be honest, all of them slowly came out of their own shell. They had clung to each other but had said nothing. Everyone had been in their own pit of despair at Sis's departure. Squall did his best not to box himself up, he still had Rinoa.

Even though he didn't retreat from socializing, the happy boy, the one that always managed to bring a smile to the room or get into fights with Seifer, was no more. Seifer had to provoke him in order to get Squall into a fight. Squall only smiled around Rin for the most part. Selphie and Zell seemed to pick up the slack, Irvine did too. Quistis tried her best to be like Sis, but she just wasn't the same.

But now as Rinoa left the orphanage only two month after Ellone was sent away, three weeks after the end of the war, some guy named Laguna came 'back from the dead' apparently, and was now the savior of the world… whatever. Rinoa was gone, so was any attempt at being in a good mood for everyone else.

As Rinoa walked away, she was happy to see her father, sad to see her friends go. In pain at leaving Squall, her best fiend, she tried to hold a smile… but she was failing. She didn't know it now, but she would come to hate this man. Not just for the way he would treat her, unable to face such a reminder of his wife now passed away, but she would hate him for taking her away from her real family… from her friends. She hoped that one day they would meet again… If only she knew what that wish would entail.

Squall looked up to the sky to see, what he thought he would never forget, what he thought he could never love again… he saw a shooting star…

_I promise._

_Heh… Right._

* * *

Ultimicia had been defeated… again she wallowed in self pity as she threw herself back in time. This time would be different. She saw Edea and her defeater standing in a different time, a different place. It went as always. But she could feel the general difference already. Little Squall was out looking for his disappeared Ellone today… perhaps tomorrow he would look for his other lost friend… whomever that may be. She gave up her powers to Edea as she always had, but not all of them. Afterward she flung herself further back. She saw a young child.

"Adel." The young girl looked to her questioningly.

"Beware when you are taken to see Ellone by the one with long black hair, he will deceive you." Time faded as Ultimicia began to stand flinging her back to were she was supposed to disappear. But she flung herself out of time before it came to pass, she turned around knowing that she was about to change everything. She felt no pain as she was dead, but she passed on her powers to the mother of her defeater. It would soon be passed onto the one who would ruin everything. It was time… she faded into oblivion waiting… watching as time progressed… waiting for her return to power, her return to life, her return forever.

_SeeD… they won't win again!_


	2. Heartilly

AN: Realistically, Rinoa's past is the only one that significantly differed from anyone's, though Irvine, and Quistis's did change a bit as well. That and Seifer and Rinoa's relationship was a bit different than what it could have been pre classic game. All this is explained in this chapter so there's a lot of narration. But that's why this is currently in Rinoa's point of view, though more than likely I'll be getting in others as time goes on, a lot of it will be Squall or Rinoa though.

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**~ Heartilly ~**

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She was seventeen and free to do as she pleased. Seventeen, the age that you were legally able to join the army, drink alcoholic beverages, and most importantly in her case, sign away any responsibility the General had over her. He, pending he signed the papers willingly, would be free of her, and she free of him. She didn't remember it well, but she knew she would have preferred he left her at the orphanage that she was staying at.

After running away multiple times as a child she finally managed to cut a deal with her fa… with the General. She could stay with her Mother's cousin, if and only if she stayed out of the resistance factions. Her mother's cousin agreed to take her in despite already having two younger boys and an older girl for children. Little did her father know she was the resistance leader of the Forest Fox's.

She had made friends there, Zone and Watts the most mentionable. They hung around causing trouble for the troops, all in good fun. The troops knew who she was and they went easy on her and the rest of the kids, even laughed their heads off at some of the pranks they pulled… then after two years she was old enough to actually be tried in juvy, though the soldiers still didn't bother with her… she hadn't pulled anything too bad.

But then came the rotation of the soldiers. Not just a few, but all of them. No one to introduce her, no one to make them go easy. She had seen Zone get beat with a police bat… a child. She tried to stop the soldier, so did Watts. They too were beaten by the soldiers buddies. The rest that were hanging around just laughed at the sight. Rinoa didn't want to think about what could have happened if their captain hadn't walked onto the scene and yelled at them.

Zone was in the hospital for two weeks, Rinoa and Watts were in for a week and a half. The three soldiers were dishonorably discharged… signed off by General Caraway. She hadn't heard from him otherwise.

After that it was inevitable, she hated theses soldiers. They had hurt her, and more importantly her friends. They had laughed at it. She became a member of the Forest Fox's, though she as well as Zone and Watts created their sub group, the Timber Owls. When she was fourteen, a year and a half after their first beating, the Timber Owls and a few Forest Fox volunteers blew up an empty of human life and full of precious cargo train… or so they thought. It was full of cargo, but there were also still a few Soldiers who where sacking out in it off duty rather than be scrunched in their uncomfortably small bunks.

She had killed unknowingly, it was her idea, she set everything up, she pulled the trigger… the soldiers knew, they were going to kill her and throw her subordinates in jail, no juvi for the criminal killer's. Her dad found out… he silenced the entire thing, erasing the incident and the criminal files that were being created for herself and her friends. He covered it all up before it reached Deling. She had disobeyed the agreement, yet he knew she wouldn't want to stay. So… he sent her to Galbadia Garden.

She had made a few friends, she had managed as an over aged newbie. She had already had basic pinwheel tutoring, but it was furthered, along with physical exercise. She hated it, she would rather be living with her father than put up with the Instructor's there. Her friends Irvine and the transfer student Quistis were her saving grace. They always talked her out of doing something stupid… all but once.

She ran away, she always ran… she was caught before she was off school grounds, her intent clearly not late night training. All her instructors worked her harder, detention was more like forced labor volunteering. Her eye's that had once held a rebellious spark, the one that always made her correct anyone who called her by Caraway… that spark had slowly been dimming. She knew that, Irvine had said as much. After Quistis left back for Balamb, things didn't go well.

Irvine had a crazy dream saying they all grew up in the same orphanage, with some other kid's, he didn't remember their names and their faces were a blur, but he was almost positive that Rinoa had been there too. She wrote it off as a crazy dream despite her several months of staying at an orphanage. He wrote it off as a dream too. The orphanage always brought up feelings of longing, desire. She had more than two friends at a time, Everyone liked her there.

Where as here, with Caraway attached to her… though socializing wasn't exactly prominent in Galbadia Garden, she was almost always avoided like the black plague. All but Irvine, Quistis, and Seifer… Rajin and Fujin too. The summer after she turned sixteen she had managed to get summer off, unlike the year before. She went back to Timber. This time the soldiers stayed away from her at all costs, not only did she have the General backing her, but also Galbadia Garden.

Watts had a crush on a girl that had two boys hanging around her, she had silver hair. Just so that Watts would quite squirming when they were around, she asked the girl when she was by herself for a moment if she wanted to date that guy over there… no not the one holding his stomach, the one with a red face and jumping around in circles. She had politely albeit forcefully declined, though by the time that discussion was over, the two boys who hung out with her had come back.

She had thought the blond was cute but up close, he was hot. They had stared at each other for an extended period of time, enough to make Zone stop hugging his stomach and yell to her. She quickly excused herself with a red face and heard laughing behind her and someone stomped away. Watts was crushed, until he saw a pretty brunet working in a local cloths tourist trap… not that Timber got that many tourist's around any more.

The next time she had run into the blond he asked her out for coffee… how could she refuse. His name? Seifer. For a week they met up for coffee, then she was formally introduced to his friends. After a while he had gotten her to open up, and she in turn did the same to him. It was something they both needed, a re-spark for their rebellion. When the three had learned of the Timber Owls, the soldiers endured yelling and push ups from their boss's for… accidents. The Owls wreaked havoc. Rinoa and Seifer leading and strategizing while Zone and Watts felt put off. She had never felt a connection with anyone like she had with Seifer before. She wasn't sure, but she thought is was love… though if it was the kind one shared with comrades or the one that was shared with lovers, she wouldn't know… everyone avoided her like the black plague in Garden, she was always too busy pulling pranks in Timber when she was younger for a…

The last week of summer, after getting to know each other, fairly well, though to be honest, Irvine still knew her better… the perv that he was, they decided to tone it down. It really was a break. They had gone out for drinks… the bar tender didn't know her so she got away with it, though Zone and Watts got kicked out, Seifer was nice and snuck them in through the back. They had gotten drunk… She was happy… she was sure it was love and she wanted to be with a guy… Seifer specifically. They had kissed before, but the one they had that night could have gone farther laced with alcohol with no one else around… but it didn't.

It wasn't until after thinking about it that she understood why he had turned her away. The note he left with her at her aunts house was simple and to the point. _Had to leave early. It's not that I don't like you, I just know you too well._ She had at first thought it presumptuous of him, but she came to realize… he had probably been with other girls before… even if he hadn't, he knew her too well, to do anything… physical without having possible emotional guilt after needing to leave nearly right away, anyway. That and the possible awkwardness if they met again. He probably could have stayed the two extra day's but he was like her, he ran from rejection, only this time it was his own rejection of her that he ran from.

She had gone back to Garden like a good Girl much to her Instructors surprise, they couldn't have fun and punish her for anything. Irvine noticed her rebellious spark in her eye's was back after summer, but she acted like a good little cadet. She focused on her studies climbing in the ranks of her own grade, getting down her GF courses and learning to Junction them, though Galbadia didn't like to use them, it was a required course. After Five years of training with her pinwheel, and three training with GF's despite Irvine's advice against it, Quistis had sold her on the idea. She also excelled top of her class in magic, it came easily to her.

Then she was seventeen and invited to Balamb Garden for their test, as it was the next to offer it. So she had said goodbye to Galbadia Garden and hopped on a train with Irvine to see her off in Balamb, he may be a perv, but he was a loyal friend, though he didn't have many… come to think of it, he didn't really talk to her in public, he hadn't much with Quistis either, other than the occasional flirtation, to which he was promptly smacked for… he was too much of a lone gunman for having public friends, she didn't mind though… As long as he didn't start talking about his previous night's date.

There was a brief layover in Timber and she had visited her Aunt and Zone and Watts for an hour, catching up briefly as Irvine uncomfortably sat in the back ground. She thought he deserved it, after all he was the one that wanted to come. They got on the train to Balamb and slept for the next leg of the trip.

When Rinoa and Irvine got there and picked up her luggage, they went to wait at the Garden recruit buss stop, near the outside of town. Only one other girl stood there. Irvine of course flirted introducing himself, using his overly accented western drawl.

"Hello there little lady, name's Irvine," Her face went beat red and quietly replied,

"Uh mine's Selphie." If you didn't know the guy, you wouldn't have seen the hesitation, but he pulled through with his intent as he pulled off his hat and took her hand that she put out to shake his, but instead he kissed the back of her hand. She turned even more red as he stood back up and place his hat that no one was allowed to touch back on his head. To help ease the awkwardness, Rinoa decided to introduce herself, the first time she could legally introduce herself as a Heartily and not a Caraway, the first time out of country when she could get away with it. Freedom.

"I'm Rinoa Heartily." This time when she was not being wooed she could answer fully.

"I'm Selphie Tilmitt, I'm a transfer from Trabia for the upcoming exam. Are you guys from Galbadia?"

"Yes, I'm here for the Exam as well, though Irvine is not as he still has a few (cough) D grades he need's to bring up." He playfully punched her arm as she mocked hurt.

"Yeah, just here to see my best bud off." He continued pushing his luck by messing with Rinoa's hair.

"Oi! Not the hair Irv!"

"Sorry" He said glumly as he tried to fix her hair only to have his hand's swatted away. Selphie could only giggle. The buss finally came… only two seconds late, after the doors opened. Irvine grabbed Rinoa's big Suitcase as well as Selphie's and hefted them onto the luggage shelves inside the short buss. Rinoa and Selphie got their smaller bags. The driver gave Irvine a pointed look which he ignored completely.

"Bye Rin, take care of yourself would ya?" He hugged her.

"Yes Irvine, you too, get that grade up so that you can take Galbadia's exam in a few weeks, huh?" He mock saluted her, she laughed. Then he faced Selphie and took his hat off once more as he bowed.

"And take good care of yourself, Ms. Tilmitt." She let a few giggles slip as she once again turned red. Then for who knows what reason she ran and jumped into a hug, catching him off guard leaving him dazed as she giggled more when she sat down.

"Stop flirting Irv."

"Are you my girlfriend?"

"No."

"Then I'll do whatever the hell I want."

"And if I was your girlfriend?"

"Then I'll do whatever the hell I want." She thought about that answer, then decided against it… that could go bad places… the buss driver cleared his throat.

"Get off the bus!" She gave him a small shove as he got off sulkily.

"Keep in touch!" He yelled from the side, the door began to close as she shouted,

"You too!" She sat down for the Fifteen minute ride to Garden. It was silent for a minute with Selphie lightly rocking in her chair clearly not liking to stay still, while driving at speeds less than sixty miles per hour.

"Not a lot of people here." she noted breaking the silence.

"Nope… I guess with rumors of Deling having something new up his sleeve, people don't want to be away from home, much." She nodded her head in approval of the explanation. The driver turned on Radio music clearly wanting silence from his passengers. _Well_ Rinoa thought… _Screw him! _The two girls conversed over the music concerning things like… what they wanted to do and the presumptuous Selphie already asking for help on the Garden festival committee though she hadn't gotten the position yet… How could Rinoa not agree. They decided to stick together, the two transfer students. They would visit the office today, then get settled into their temporary guest double suite dorm. So stick together they would.

* * *

They had filled out paperwork when they arrived at Garden, met the Headmaster. He was… well he wasn't like headmaster Martin… Cid wasn't a… for lack of better words… ass. Headmaster Cid was actually rather nice. Though the Garden faculty in those funny hat's and robes… all of them were… well, really, really annoying. They had gotten diner after getting their ID cards, they managed to get a few hotdogs before they were out, and despite the lack of… normal meat, that hotdog's contained, these one's were actually decent. Selphie may have been small but apparently her stomach wasn't. They had gotten in shower's after unpacking the essentials and gone to bed, there after.

Now they were running down a hall on the second floor of the building . They had gone down several halls that led off from the elevator and the hall that circled around it, on their last possibility,

"We're late, we're late, we're LATE!" Selphie was running… right into…

"Selphie!" Selphie ran into someone, unfortunately Rinoa was running right behind her. As Selphie bounced back she slammed into Rinoa who was slowly coming to a stop. They both lay splayed out on the floor for a second in shock, then both sat up and said at the same time…

"Sorry!" Rinoa said as she dusted herself off. She didn't give Selphie enough time to ask questions or flirt and just grabbed her hand and rushed to homeroom. It was empty, the guy they ran into must have been leaving. The Instructor was still there, though clearly preparing to leave. She looked up and smiled, she looked incredibly young, in fact…

"Quistis?" Rinoa asked. Quistis turned around not looking the least bit surprised.

"I saw your name on the list… I see your time skills have not improved." Quistis chuckled.

"I resent that and yes they have, we just didn't know where we were going and…"

"You didn't think to stop for directions?" Good thing Selphie was here, she could just blame her.

"Yeah… Selphie was in too much of a rush to bother."

"Hey, you're the one that wouldn't let me ask the guy we ran into for directions."

"Because I saw the class room."

"Hmph…"

"Selphie Tilmitt, I assume?" Quistis asked.

"Um, Yep! That's me."

"Wait Quistis are you our Homeroom instructor?" Rinoa asked as if the idea was dawning on her just now… which it was.

"Yes."

"Hyne damnit Quistis, always did have to make me feel bad." Quistis chuckled.

"Just show up in the lobby near the directory at 1600, team assignments will be given there. You know where that's at right?"

"Yes." Rinoa answered.

"You have free time until then, if you want to, you can train in the training center on the first floor… but don't wear yourself out." They nodded and saluted "And Rin, we'll catch up later." Rinoa nodded with a smile and rushed out of the room after Selphie, hopeful to get some practice in.

* * *

Selphie and Rinoa walked out of the training center warmed up and ready to go, but they still had two hours.

"We could always take another shower and clean up!" Selphie suggested.

"Just to get dirty again… We took out a few grats, we aren't that sweaty."

"Then what to do, explore…" Selphie's stomach growled, that sounds good too.

With that they headed off to the Cafeteria. What she saw was very funny. They walked in on Fujin kicking Rajin's shin. Rinoa couldn't hold in the giggles, Fujin loved to do that to her overly tan brother. All three recognized it and looked her way, even Fujin managed a small smirk. There was another guy there but he was turning around and walking away. Actually come to think of it.

"Hey!! Sorry about ramming into you earlier." He didn't even acknowledge her.

"Meany!" she muttered under her breath. She and Selphie walked towards the Disciplinary committee.

"You here for the exam, ya know?"

"Why yes I do know," Rajin's tan cheeks darkened, "and yes I am."

"Me too." Seifer said. Rinoa gave him an amused look.

"What is this… number three?"

"Third time's the charm! Maybe you and you're bouncy friend… who is currently talking to the headmaster… will work with me." Rinoa couldn't help but smirk.

"And watch you defile orders and go off on your own… like ALWAYS? I hope not."

"Hey that was once and you were slowing me down." Rinoa felt a nudge at her side… apparently created by Selphie's elbow.

"Selphie this is Seifer," He waved, "Rajin," He put out his hand to shake hers which she took uncertainly. Rinoa gave him a look and nothing got pulled… literally, "and Fujin!" She bowed her head. "I know them from last summer break, had loads of fun making life hard for the Galbadian soldiers." Seifer smirked.

"HI! Would you like to join the Garden Festival Committee?"

"Take it you got the job?" Rinoa asked.

"Yep, so how bout it?" She looked at the other three expectantly. Rajin and Fujin looked to their leader… who as expected refused, politely though.

"Sorry, I already head the Disciplinary committee and that's a full time thing." Selphie looked dejected.

"Hey still got me." Rinoa said to cheer her up.

"Yep, now for food."

"You guys want to join us." Rinoa asked.

"We just ate, got one more round to do before we take off."

"Alright, see you later." The three nodded and retreated.

No, it hadn't been love. It had been infatuation laced with adventure and danger that ended in a friendship laced with physical attraction… nothing more. After they had gone through the line and been informed there was no hotdogs left, Rinoa got a salad, and Selphie got pasta or… something that was supposed to be pasta. Selphie had asked her questions, Rinoa gave her brief answered.

Yes they were friends, yes she had gone out with him, no they hadn't done anything like that… wait.

"Selph really?" She just grinned. "You like to gossip don't you?"

"No, only with really close friends but not about other friends behind their back… I just like to absorb social information and store it for later purposes." Rinoa had to laugh at her… well she guessed they were friends… she laughed at her friends attempt at being serious and reassuring her that she wouldn't tell anyone… behind her back. Wonderful.

They had already been in their cadet uniform since that morning, but they still had to go back to their dorms and get their weapons they had taken back before going to the cafeteria. By the time they got out of their room and had everything ready, they went to the lobby and were fifteen minutes early, which to any SeeD cadet, is on time.

They wouldn't be working with Seifer, they wouldn't even be working with each other, but they would be less likely to sit and idly chat, so in a way it was a good thing, they just didn't know anyone. Rinoa was talking with her squad members, Ali and Nida. Ali apparently worked in the library and Nida was into flying. It was then that Seifer did show up, on time, which was in fact late.

Seifer was the squad leader, Hyne forbid, with that 'Meany' and a very… hyper looking blond. She didn't envy him. Though it was rather funny to watch Quistis get on Seifer's nerves.

"Instructor… I hate it when people wish me luck. Save those words for a bad student who needs them, eh?" Hmm that sounded familiar. And it was said with that same damn smirk. Annoying idiotic arrogant bastard.

"Ok then. Good luck, Seifer." Score one for Quistis! She couldn't keep the smile off her face which she assumed Quistis saw as she smiled right back. Rajin and Fujin almost looked a bit flustered at that.

"Add Instructor Trepe to the list." Ooooh Scary.

The show ended when all the Squads where gathered by their lead Instructors, Poor Quisty, she had to deal with Arrogant, Mean, and Hyper. Where as she, Nida, and Ali got to deal with Instructor Aki… It was rather apparent he didn't have a life outside of making students miserable.

After a pep talk from the Headmaster and one of those faculty members which she was clearly not alone in thinking they should be punched, they marched to the garage. She rode with her group to Balamb. They had talked briefly and it was understood here as well as Galbadia, she would cover their back and they would cover hers. The same hopefully stood for Selphie and her squad. They got in the sub-boats in Balamb and awaited further instruction.

* * *

AN: Yes Rinoa's colorblindness issues have not been discussed, there is a reason for that, though it will come into play shortly... ish. And yes, no worries this is Squinoa, and she is in fact ignoring Squall subconsciously. And yes this has been hanging around for a week, just didn't post it.

R and R!!!!


	3. Flight of the Destined

AN: I know it's been a while but as I said, this one is my side projects for when nothing else seems to come willingly. I worked on this bit by bit and here the next chapter is. For now, enjoy close calls and a lot of action. (fyi this is my first major action sequence… so any feedback concerning how to make this and future encounters flow more naturally, would be greatly appreciated)

TECKNICALITIES:

A: I don't know what kind of weapon Nida uses… so I have him use a spear

B: I changed GF's just a TINY bit. It's not so much compatibility as it is Who gets priority (GF favoritism, is thus still a part of it) but because it is priority, there could be say… one summon right after another of the same GF from different people. I know it screws stuff up a bit, but that's how things worked out best, yes I am thinking long run.

---------------------------------------

**~Flight of the Destined~**

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Selphie's group had been stationed at the beach. They were so to speak the messengers as well as the last line and the first to engage the enemy. As Rinoa ran passed them they continued to take down Galbadian after Galbadian. It seemed odd as she fought them, that not two days ago, these were the people she was in a way, working for. To so easily switch one's allegiance… it seemed wrong. It was wrong, but there was nothing she could do about it now. This was the path she had chosen, the path she had followed and in turn the path she was subjected to. In a different life perhaps things would be different. Maybe if her mother hadn't…

"The surrounding area has been cleared." Mattie, a girl with medium length brown hair pulled into a pony tail and brown eyes interrupted her thoughts.

"Very good." Nida was the squad leader. He was calm and quiet and a fairly good fighter. It had been a fairly easy job, there weren't a lot of Galbadians hanging around the down town area. The only sounds that could be heard were the echoes of Galbadian artillery from the distance, destroying who know what. All three regardless of the stagnant feeling all stood prepared for an ambush, constantly searching the surrounding area for signs of such an occurrence.

Rinoa had enough practice blindsiding her instructors in Galbadia to know how to remain still and remain attentive to everything said. They had no problem's picking on the daughter of the General; he wouldn't believe a damn word that came out of her mouth if it concerned how evil Galbadia Garden was. Because of how she had been treated she was more than able to handle herself when it came to composure, she knew that wouldn't be a problem on the scoring. As things were looking, there wouldn't be anything too bad, so they all would likely pass. But things could change in the blink of an eye, life had taught her that, one too many times.

"Do you hear that?" Nida asked. Mattie and Rinoa both strained their ears until footsteps registered in their hearing. They immediately formed up, ready to attack. It sounded like two pairs of footsteps heading their way. Then it sounded as if one began going a different direction while one continued towards the three cadets. Selphie rounded the corner, she stopped a moment leaning her hands on her knees as she bent over to catch her breath. It was clear there was no one behind her so they dropped formation, the other two knowing that she was one of their own from the uniform.

Selphie looked up and spotted Rinoa and gave her a quick smile as she began running up and past them,

"Group B, almost there, just a few more blocks. Going to be fine, gonna get there." It was just barely audible but Rinoa could hear it. As she passed out of sight Mattie spoke up.

"That's Seifer's team isn't it?"

"Yeah." Rinoa answered.

"Wonder what's up?"

"We'll find out on her way back if it applies to us." Nida spoke.

"Think it's a retreat?" Rinoa asked. Section 1 paragraph 4: The messengers will give the order to retreat to the furthest station first then the retreat will follow through to insure no one is left behind.

"Maybe. We'll find out soon." Mattie said. Things were like that for some time. Selphie didn't reappear and no Galbadians passed by. Needless to say they were all feeling rather antsy. This continued until Rinoa noticed a small shaking underneath her feet. Mattie was pacing and Nida was sitting at this point.

"You guys feel that?"

"What?" Nida looked at her and stood on his feet as Mattie stopped her pacing. They stood still for a moment and the shaking became more pronounced.

"What the Hell is that?" Mattie blurted. Then a loud metal screeching sound from up in the hills was heard and they all looked in the direction of a tall tower that was now visibly shaking even more so than the ground. A canister of sorts shot through its center. As it reached the top of the tower, it spun as it rotated to a programmed degree. The sides opened and plates slid out to connect them ending with a circle of metallic plates that bent into the shape of a satellite dish. The center of the dish continued the transformation by splitting it's antenna into different sections. Electricity crackled between them all and a loud hum followed by a stream of light emanated from the center of the satellite.

"Is that what the Galbadians were after?" Rinoa questioned in awe. The hum had settled and was no longer audible and the shaking had stopped as well. On the back side of the satellite a large flying _thing_ hovered, letting loose an echoing screech as it threw billows of wind, that could no doubt send people flying, on the tower deck.

"Well, some Galbadian's got what they deserved." Rinoa said, Mattie continued.

"Woke something up, and it's really cranky too." They returned their attention to their surroundings to make sure nothing had changed. It was like that for three minutes, then the unthinkable happened. A ball of red rock crushed the creature, as a loud rumble echoed in the streets.

"Was that…"

"…Ifrit?" Rinoa looked to her two comrades as Nida managed to get the GF's name off his tongue to finish Mattie's question. They were all uneasy in the realization that more Cadets where up there. What was more worrisome was the fact that they all knew none of the Cadets were stationed anywhere near that tower. No one said anything. It was not addressed as it was not their jurisdiction, and they just didn't know what to think of it. Three groups were beyond theirs; Seifer's group was the only one directly behind them. That was the group Selphie had been going to and she hadn't come back yet. The pieces fit.

She kept her eye trained in the direction they would come from. A flash of silver and blond later. Seifer was running past them into the Café.

"Get inside, now!" When they didn't move he continued, "There's a large group of soldiers heading this way, I saw them from up top. He dashed in, and when clanking boots hitting pavement made its way to their ears, they followed. He stood catching his breath as Nida asked,

"Seifer where's the rest of your team?"

"They couldn't keep up." He stated nonchalantly. So much for his passing this exam, more like he was going to get in a shit load of trouble. The group of Galbadians passed the Café heading towards the rest of Seifer's team and probably an accompanying Selphie.

"Hey they can take care of themselves, and I'm sure the pipsqueak can take care of herself too." He said noticing Rinoa's scowl. She wanted to shout, she wanted to scream, she wanted to slap Seifer for his stupidity. She did none of these.

"With that attitude do you honestly expect to pass the exam?" He gave her a quick smirk.

"Oh, we need to be back at the beach at 19:00, that would give you seventeen minutes, good luck." With that he ran out the café doors and took off running towards the ships.

"Damn it."

"Captain?" She turned to Nida for orders, he looked as skeptical of the situation as she did. They all stepped back outside, where they belonged.

"He wasn't a messenger."

"No, and Selphie's probably…" She heard a scream come from the mountain side. All three looked as a giant mechanical, for lack of better words, spider jumped down a few hundred feet in front of three very small figures.

"What the hell are they doing up there?" Mattie shrieked.

"Nida?" Rinoa looked to the Captain, hoping he felt as she did and knowing that if she wanted to pass, it really didn't matter how she felt, she just had to do as she was told.

"Section 15 paragraph 5: if your station has been cleared and the station nearest you is in need of help, leave your area guarded and assist the neighboring station." He quoted.

"Section 1 paragraph 1 sentence 1: The order to withdraw takes precedence over all others." Mattie spat back. Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"Section 1 paragraph 2: If the order to withdraw does not come form a reliable source, disregard it."

"There's no way Seifer would leave a fight unless he had to, Captain you know damn well…"

"Mattie, you will guard this station until told to otherwise from a messenger or one of us. Rinoa…?"

"I'm with you."

"Are you guys nuts?" Mattie yelled. "We need to go back, there's no point in guarding this station if the last one isn't being guarded!"

"Go back, inform Instructor Aki of the situation, we'll be there before the time to withdraw." Nida ordered. Mattie stepped backwards scoffing at their choice then turned and ran towards the beach. With that they took after the mass of Galbadian to help their comrades.

As they ran through the town square a group of five Galbadian soldiers cut them off from proceeding further. That's what happens when one doesn't obey order and leaves their station. There was nothing to do about it now. Nida charged forward to meet the charging Galbadians. In close combat machine guns became cumbersome and the closer Nida got, the easier it was to fight. Rinoa was better off at a distance. Her pinwheel was long distance and was set off using her right hand, while the system was attached to her left arm. Nida quickly took down two soldiers as Rinoa dodged bullets with her GF enhanced senses as her weapon sliced one soldiers head clean off, nicking another in the side on it's return. The soldier clutched his side in agony as Nida knocked his third to the ground as the soldiers bullets ricochet off of nearby metal gutter, nailing the soldier clutching his side, in the head. They moved forward leaving the dead behind.

Death wasn't something Rinoa cared for. She hadn't become numb to it, she still hated it, hated causing it, hated being what she was. But she had little else. It was a poor excuse when she could be back in Timber killing Galbadian Soldiers there… it was still killing. It was a different cause, but realistically, the cause didn't matter anymore. Her father was in charge of these soldiers, and if they failed, so did he. It was reckless, it was merciless, it was ruthless, and it was her, a girl who hated all these qualities had become what she hated, was becoming who she hated. Her father. There was no consolation for her. Only the ability to loath herself and beat back as much unnecessary bloodshed as possible, let her live on with some semblance of peace.

The closer they got to the giant spider the more pronounce the ground's shaking became. They ran forward passing bodies of monsters and civilians and soldiers alike. They rounded a corner and the shaking appeared to be nearly above them as rocks slid from the top down the steep slope. They were running towards something large and mechanical behind a large group of enemy soldiers. Maybe Mattie was right.

They were getting closer and Rinoa began to call upon Shiva. The shaking stopped as they rounded yet another corner. They stopped abruptly. Thirteen soldiers stood, all facing towards the three oncoming cadets. Zell, Selphie, and… The machine jumped down a few feet landing directly behind the three who were now stopped before the soldiers. The machine looked over the situation recognizing friends, and targeting foes. It knew the three it was after were cornered. There was no escape. It's red eye raked the two enemies behind the soldiers and the oscillating eye stopped, if only briefly, on Rinoa.

"Diamond Dusts!" Rinoa yelled and the ice goddess appeared in her icy cage and burst forth as she called upon the power of ice. The power was thrust foreword and covered every soldier there. Then the ice shattered into trillions of shards as Shiva disappeared leaving nearly dead soldiers in her wake. The machine didn't care. It jumped over it's three prior targets leaving it's hind side exposed as it landed on several soldiers leading to several sickening crunches. Nida and Rinoa both stood still for only a second before Nida's summon for Quezacotl was completed.

"Thunder Storm!" The thunder bird gathered electricity in it's hold and let it burst in a bubble of electricity to encompass and confuse it's machine prey. Then the GF was gone and the machine began to recover.

"Run" He didn't need to say it, but no one was moving, so Squall said it anyway. Selphie, Zell, and Squall ran around the collapsed machine and fell into formation behind Nida and Rinoa

Fortunately the soldiers had cleared the immediate area of monsters so the rest of their flight down the mountain path wasn't difficult. They passed Squad B's assigned position, the town square. They continued to run from the clanking metal sounds. They passed through the café area again and the ground shook beneath them as bricks flew in every direction.

"Man, Not again." Zell muttered, under his labored breath. Rinoa looked behind them quickly to see the red eye a short distance away, trained on her, and her alone. She turned her face forward and ran faster.

They had made it to the bridge and the machine was closing in. Midway, a shadow passed overhead as the clamping of the machine stopped. Then they stopped, the red eye still trained on Rinoa who had placed just behind and to the right of Squall, with Zell to her left and Nida and Selphie just behind.

"Three minutes." Selphie noted.

Nida and Selphie began summoning their Quezacotles as the machine extended several sharp looking metal claws from each leg tip. It stepped forward to slash at Rinoa who ducked to the left as Squalls Gunblade met metal claws. He dislodged his sword from the claws letting the machine continue it's swipe with it's intended targets well out of the way.

With Rinoa positioned to the side, the center of the machine's underside opened dropping a machine gun and pointed it towards Rinoa. She put her weapon in front of her to guard her heart from the bullets, as she attempted to dodge it's target lock without having anyone come in-between it, and her. Most bullets missed her or hit her weapon but one did manage to hit her left shoulder and one took a small chunk out of the left side of her abdomen. Mean while, Zell, avoiding detection briefly, force kicked the base of the gun from the side, breaking it off. He jumped back avoiding the claw that swiped his way. Nida's Quezacotl hit first, and Selphie's hit right after, it was enough to disorientate it and everyone rushed around it.

The only one not bleeding in some fashion by now was Nida who jumped the steps to make sure a sub boat stayed for them. The machine regained it's presence of programming and turned to follow its target. Zell and Selphie had made it around first and were rushing towards the last remaining form of transportation. Rinoa jumped the steps with Squall right behind her. The machine stepped where they had just been and sent the sand, and gravel, and brick tumbling on top of them with the machine's body stuck in an awkward position mere feet behind them.

"C'MON!" Zell yelled at them as they both got up. Both ignored the pain that was running through their entire bodies. Rinoa made it to the beach edge as she heard a loud machine gun above, she jumped from her run, landing her in the back of the sub boat, she turned to see Squall mid-flight.

It was like time stopped as she finally looked him in the eye's. She saw determination, and pain… and color. In this moment, the walls she had carefully constructed around her mind to prevent herself from seeing herself as different, crumbled. For so long she had been able to ignore the fact that others saw other colors in addition to red. She had been able to forget that she could see the color of some peoples eyes, she had forgotten that she could see the skin color on some people. But most of all she had been able to forget that rainy day that had ruined her life, and the little boy in color.

The moment of the good bye flashed through her mind, she couldn't remember the place, the people, or who that little boy was. But then isn't what mattered. Now is what mattered, as she could see squalls light blue eye's, his pale skin, and his navy blue uniform with silver edges to it. Colors and names matched as she could have only done in her earliest childhood. And this man in color who she had managed to not look at through an entire race for safety, the man she had no doubt, subconsciously avoided looking at, was this close to dying at the claws of that blasted machine.

Time resumed and the machine was pushed backwards by the force of the machine gun bullets. Squall caught on to the back edge of the boat, as it had already begun to drift. Nida and Zell rushed forward to haul him up out of the water. The boat accelerated forward as the back doors closed and locked in an airtight seal, leaving the disastrous exam behind.

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R and R….!


	4. Right of Passage

AN: Okay… I know this is just my side project, but if there is anyone out there who is reading this…. I apologize for the extraordinarily long wait… there's not much excuse for it… I was hoping to make up for it by having the ballroom scene in it, but it was just not working, that is to be in the next chapter, because I have that part written, but not the stuff in-between. But when that gets taken care of then... well, the next chapter gets posted.

And I know Seifer and Quistis are a little tiny bit OOC, but I'm playing up some tension that will be necessary… okay not necessary, but you get the idea… come much farther down the line. (as in disk three… ish. Yes I have thought that far down the line).

That being said… enjoy ^_^

TECHNICALITIES:

A. For realistic purposes… I'm going on the idea that the Infirmary is a lot bigger than a single room and office.

B. Another thing to note is that obviously at the beginning of the game there are three GF's. In Trabia, you are given Ifrit and Quetzalcoatl and have to earn Shiva. Likewise in Galbadia you are given Ifrit and Shiva and have to earn Quetzalcoatl. Though other than Balamb Garden, the others still don't use GF's much.

C. Also I'm assuming that there is more than one elevator, and only the main one goes up to the third floor.

D. The Ballroom is on the second floor (which is much bigger than we ever saw) and is a closed off section except for special occasions.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final fantasy VIII, Square Enix does.

* * *

~Right of Passage~

He was out of breath. At this point he was seriously considering staying on the floor, lying on his back and just passing out. His body needed the reprieve that sleep brought, but his brain was going so fast, it would be in no way restful. He settled for getting up and stumbling to a nearby seat. Nida and Zell followed. Selphie was panting in a seat across the isle way and Rinoa seemed to be standing staring out into space as her breath was slowly beginning to regulate itself. Seifer was no where to be seen, thankfully. Squall closed his eye's and leaned his head back against the wall behind the seat trying to ignore the pain and calm his thoughts.

"Ow!" His eye's shot open. A field medic was attending to Zell's burns. The medic tended to all of them though Kadowaki would eventually look over all of them. The bullet was left in Rinoa's shoulder so the bleeding wouldn't be restarted just yet. As the medic walked out, Quistis walked in.

"You were two minutes late!" They all looked towards Quistis who was attempting to cover concern with anger.

"I apologize for our tardiness." Nida gave no excuse, as it didn't matter. The probability of them passing the exam had dropped from great, to bad, to non-existent.

"Xu is currently informing Instructor Aki that you two returned safely." Rinoa and Nida both nodded their head at this. Everyone remained silent.

"Is everyone alright?" Quistis asked, the anger gone, leaving only worry in it's stead. The medic answered,

"As long as they get in, to see Kadowaki as soon as they get back, they'll be fine." She nodded her head as the Medic finished looking over a nearly unconscious Squall. Rinoa opened her eye's and they were once again drawn to color. The medic was grey and white, with black hair and a small red cross on his jacket. Squall, in full color, in beautiful color, looked as if he were asleep, almost dead.

"Is he alright?" It was instinctual to ask, and she had already been caught staring, she could tell Quistis was slightly amused by it. Rinoa managed to suppress the blush and showed only concern as she ripped her eyes away from him to look at Zell as he began to talk,

"Yeah, he's just tired. He got hit pretty bad by the… creature, thingy…"

"… Elvoret." Selphie added in.

"Yeah, that thing, up on the tower. He hit his limit, which is actually really cool!" Zell had a huge grin on his face. It fit well, and seemed like it would be something that would be on his face even in the most desperate of situations.

"I managed to get him a cure, but still…" Selphie left it there. They all knew well enough how draining limits could be. What bothered Rinoa the most at this point, was that every occupant of this room besides Nida, had colored eyes. They weren't some shade of grey, they were full color. She couldn't help but wonder who else had colored eye's that she hadn't allowed herself to notice. What did this mean? How could she forget something as simple as being colorblind? How could she see color? Why was Squall like that little boy?

"Hey, not that I care, but where's the blond bastard?" Zell asked. Squall snorted, apparently he was awake. Had he heard her asking about him? Why did that bother her? Quistis sighed.

"He went with Mattie and Instructor Aki. The headmaster has been informed of the situation and I'm sure he will figure out what to do."

"That was his last try wasn't it?" Rinoa asked. Quistis looked surprised.

"At Balamb Garden, yes." Several curious gazes looked at her. She didn't comment further.

"You weren't kidding about making life hard for Galbadian soldiers last summer were you?" Selphie asked.

"Nope." She said popping the P.

"Rinoa, what don't I know." Rinoa looked at Quistis and smirked.

"Finally pulled my shit together and they let me out last summer for good behavior. Went back to visit the extended family and met Seifer and gang thanks to Watts and his strange infatuation with Fujin." Zell choked a laugh out at the last statement. Squall managed to open his eye's, now placing the new girl on his very long, "never talk to" list.

"What did we do?" Quistis asked, slightly amused and mostly mortified at what the pair could have done.

"The forest owls prevailed, albeit Seifer was a pain in the ass and clearly can't take orders from a girl." Nida snorted.

"Seifer doesn't take orders from anyone." Rinoa, and Quistis chuckled while Zell got up and did something similar to swatting flies.

"I hope Fujin kicks his ass, she's the only girl he'll take shit from." Zell continued his swatting fly dance. Selphie just had to ask,

"Zell what are you doing?" he continued and his answer came out in short bursts.

"… I'm sparing… in place… to keep my heart… rate… up… and… not…. get bored."

"Really? Cause it kind of looks like you're trying to close you're fly but you can't reach." Rinoa's laugh was instant, everyone else cringed, including Squall. Zell's reaction to Selphie's offhand statement was immediate. He landed a blow to the side of the room, denting the wall outward luckily not causing any permanent damage but still causing the sub boat to lean that way. This silenced Rinoa.

"It's sparing in place damn it!" Zell sat down. Everyone stayed silent for the rest of the trip.

* * *

"Ow!"

"IDIOT!"

"Fu…""Would you two shut up!" Rinoa couldn't help but laugh at the sight before her as they exited onto the Balamb dock.

"Laugh it up Heartilly." Seifer yelled as she walked toward the trio.

"REPORT?" Fujin asked Rinoa as she approached.

"FAILURE! Kick his ass for me, would ya." Fujin allowed herself a small smirk at Rinoa's comment. As the others approached, Rinoa let herself look upon her three comrades. Fujin and Rajin… both with eye color. Seifer… his skin was more than just grey, but it wasn't Squall.

All this time, it was like living under the sun, yet not acknowledging it's existence. Then one day you just… look at it.

"And It was NOT a failure."

"For you, it was. Shall I list everything you did wrong… that _I_ know about. I'm sure Squall, Zell, and Selphie could finish it for me."

"Leave the decisions up to those who make them, Rin." Quistis said quietly interrupting the small spat.

"Everyone in the Van!" Xu ordered. Seifer waltzed in first followed shortly by Rajin and Fujin.

"I hope Fujin does give Mr. Ego a good kick in the shins." Zell muttered before following suit behind everyone else.

The trip back had been fairly quiet, the tension was thick. Seifer was far from uncomfortable with the tension, whenever Squall was around it was there anyway. He glanced at Rinoa, she had a bullet in her shoulder that Kadowaki was going to have to take out. While Seifer didn't regret his actions, he couldn't help but wonder that if he had stayed with his group, if he could have prevented it.

Instructor Aki had given him a verbal beating, not that he was affected, but then he had pulled out the binoculars to make sure the last group left safely… he'd never admit it to anyone, but even from a distance the mechanical monstrosity was easily visible, and when he saw it, and two very familiar blurs just in front of it, he had felt a swell of panic. It was short lived when the machine gun loaded the machine with bullets and Rinoa and Squall made it in the Sub boat.

The thing was… the panic hadn't just been for Rinoa. He had felt no such panic this morning when he gave Squall a scar that would likely always remind him of their rivalry… Seifer could have very easily killed him, but he hadn't… he couldn't. Above all, their rivalry had sprouted from their extreme differences along with the few similarities that led to the Alpha complex… the one that always created tension… the need to be on top…

He had proven that he was better than Squall… but only to himself. Rin knew he had failed as well as he did… but that didn't mean he was going to give up. Until they didn't call his name, he would assume that he had passed… but he would always know that he was better than Squall.

He thought back to the mountain top, when he had told Squall of having a "romantic dream". He wasn't sure what had possessed him to say it. Hell half the time he felt like he was on auto pilot… or maybe someone had rewound his life and pressed play… that would actually make sense considering his dreams.

She came to him at night, Matron did. She had always warned him, in his dreams, of what the GF's could do. He had been careful, he kept a journal, he never forgot Cid's wife… even though everyone else had. The real Matron had never spoken to him of such, but the Matron in his dreams… the one with the strange accent that turned soft C's into hard C's… she had always guided him, teaching him what his teachers did not. She was always there, as if they were imbedded memories within time itself…

Last night she hadn't come. He was angry…she always came… he took it out on Squall.

"Alright everyone we're here." The van came to a stop accenting Quistis' statement. Squall resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Quistis just needed a reason to break the silence. They all got out, Selphie was bouncing up and down, Nida was standing quietly, Rinoa looked dead on her feet, Zell looked like he was counting down for takeoff, Squall had his arms crossed looking down and mostly bored, Quistis looked nervous and Xu stood at attention, ordering.

"Alright, all of you to Kadowaki's office, that includes you Seifer. You should have come back with Instructor Aki." Seifer refrained from saying "whatever".

"Rai, Fuu… head to dinner, I'll catch up."

"Right, ya know." Rajin said looking at Fujin as she nodded her head briefly. The turned and ran ahead.

"Seifer, a word." Quistis said. He did a double take, she hardly ever used that tone with him… with anyone really. It was something he expected out of Xu, not Quisty. Quistis looked over to Xu who nodded her head leading the rest ahead, leaving Quistis and Seifer lagging behind. Quistis looked around briefly and when she saw no one, she dragged Seifer off to the side near one of the fountains.

"Well, hey instructor under normal circumstances I would love to make out with you, but I…" Her fist met his jaw.

"OW! What was that for?"

"Do you have ANY idea what kind of trouble you are in? Now is not the time for jokes Seifer.""Trouble?" She rolled her eyes.

"Seifer, The headmaster will have to decide what do with you but I have to say if it were up to me, you would be expelled!" He looked at her in shock of her words and her anger.

"I thought it was just a transfer to Galbadia?" Her eyes opened wider, if only barely.

"So you realize that you failed?" Shit no!

"I understand that it's a possibility." It wasn't often he had to pull out the diplomatic side of himself… why he was even bothering was beyond him.

"Ugh! You were the team leader, you failed every single part of being a leader. You left your post, you left your team. Do you have any idea how this is going to reflect on me? Do you?" He looked at her in shock. Gone was the quite thoughtful instructor that shared the same age as he… in her place was a young woman scorned… but not by a boyfriend.

"…" She sighed at his silence.

"Oh, why did I bother? It's not like you care. Just don't be surprised if the garden faculty come searching for you and lock you up." She turned from him, leaving him behind. His actions were his own. There was no reason for his actions to reflect Quistis… it's just the way he was. No one could change that… but Quistis was on "The List" this shouldn't be bugging him… he wouldn't let it bug him. He began walking towards the infirmary, never regretting his actions, never taking them back, always proud, always the best… and quietly wondering if he had done more damage to her than to himself.

* * *

Cid stood in front of the directory as always… awaiting the candidates return, congratulating them on a job well done, giving words of advice he may have. The Garden master may have control over who made it to SeeD, but NORG couldn't take away his right to see the students in the shape they returned in, always berating himself for ever coming up with the idea whenever someone came back injured.

The last group of students had it the worst, all of whom were now being led by Xu, with the exception of Seifer, and Quistis as well, to the infirmary. Xu shooed the rest forward and stood at attention before Cid.

"Mission Complete! I think we did a pretty good job. All the other candidates are back safely, right?" He nodded so Xu continued, "What we hadn't realized going into this was that the Galbadian Army was after the abandoned communication tower."

"Yes, We've just received word from the Dollet Dukedom. The Galbadian Army has agreed to withdraw as long as the communication tower is repaired and the uplink remains operational."

"Hmm… well in any case, Galbadia is out of there. We could have made more money if they'd stayed and caused more ruckus."

"Yes, though they are grateful they did complain that apparently we left a box of metal with a bunch of bullet holes on their beach?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly as Quistis came to join them, still slightly flushed from confronting Seifer.

"Yes, sir. That would be a part of the more ruckus. I'm not sure what it was, but Sub Boat C will need to be re-supplied with the machine gun ammunition."

"Galbadia just about took us out with that thing." Quistis nodded her head in agreement.

"Is everyone alright?" Cid asked suppressing panic, he had already seen everyone, and Seifer was at the gate walking their way.

"Yes everyone is fine, minus a few injuries, nothing life threatening." He nodded his head as Seifer passed silently by.

"Infirmary!" Xu yelled at him,

"I'm goin!" He yelled back, though he passed the hallway and went into the cafeteria.

"Fujin will make sure he goes." Quistis noted

"Hmm…" Xu agreed spotting Instructor Aki as she did. "Oh boy." to which Cid asked,

"What?"

* * *

Rinoa cringed as the forceps extracted the small bullet from her shoulder, to which had been numbed by a local anesthetic. She didn't look down as the blood began to run again.

"Almost done dear." She felt the warm itchy burn caused by curative spells, or in this case, by potions… a synthetic liquid with the properties of a cure spell. Though it didn't have as much effect as a cure spell, it could be localized far more affectively when applied topically, if ingested… a cure would have the same effect. In extreme cases Hi-Potions were used intravenously to heal internal damage, it did the job, though it left one feeling overheated almost as if one was burning from the inside out… or so she had heard.

"Alright, get changed and you're free to go." Dr. Kadowaki smiled at her to which she returned. The doctor left and closed the door behind her. Rinoa pulled the hospital gown over her head, it only had a small amount of blood on it. She checked her shoulder examining the damage… only a small pink spot was left. The doctor had already wiped the blood off with a sanitation wipe, so she didn't have to worry about that. She pulled on the uncomfortable SeeD standard bra and t-shirt as Kadowaki had taken her bloodied uniform top and her own bra to the washing closet… they would be taken care of there. She was just thankful she didn't have to worry about her pants. When she opened the door it was to a… most amusing sight.

"Ack! Back in the room Leonhart I'm not done with you yet!" Rinoa couldn't help snorting… The boy in color being yelled at by the doctor in white was just too funny. He looked at her, his arms crossed and eye brow raised, his lips a flat line lacking any emotion.

"Fine don't go back in the room," She looked to Zell hoping he would help her, but he had his hands raised up… there was no way he was messing with Squall when he might be pissed… might be, being key. Kadowaki motioned for him to sit in one of the waiting seats. He didn't move. The infirmary doors opened, Instructor Aki and Trepe following.

"Leonhart, in the seat!" The reluctance to follow Aki's orders was visible, but Squall did as he was told. He wasn't a SeeD yet.

"Are Rinoa and Nida free to leave Doctor?"

"Yes they are." She said as she examined Squall's scar… it looked new, and he was clearly wishing he had gone back in the room, so that the examination wouldn't have any onlookers.

"Nida, Rinoa, go get changed into your secondary uniform and come up to my office,"

"Yes sir." They replied to the Instructors back as he left.

"Seriously… Quistis, If you're my instructor, how did I end up assigned to him?" Rinoa asked

"It's just how the numbers worked out." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Where's it at?" Rinoa asked.

"Meet me at the main elevator and I'll show you."

"Thanks Nida." He nodded his head and before he could leave to move the doors opened yet again, this time with an uncharacteristically contemplative Seifer walked in.

"Squall, Seifer, my office." Neither boy bothered to fight about that one. Side by side, she could see the matching scars on their faces, perhaps they had marked each other in a duel? The doctor ushered the two into one of the rooms… for what though?

"What's up with that?"

"She's probably bitching them out about hurting each other in "training"" Yes Zell used his fingers to do the quotations,

"This morning?"

"Yeah, missed his fire cavern exam too." Rinoa's eye brows shot up,

"I've had Quetzalcoatl for months! Wait how did he…"

"I took him out after class." Quistis answered, her voice tried but patient.

"So that was were you were going?" Selphie piped up and Quistis nodded in affirmation.

"You two had better go. Instructor Aki, isn't known for his patience." Nida laughed, being in the man's class… he knew that all too well.

* * *

"So what happened?" Selphie asked Nida and Rinoa as they approached the rest of the candidates waiting in the hallway for the results.

"It was short and to the point… "you didn't do this", "you should have done that", thankfully due to the circumstances we wont be punished. As the instructor said, "Failing will be punishment enough," But we'll see." Mattie, a short distance away snorted, but didn't comment, nor did she make any attempt to approach them. When Nida had tried to apologize earlier,

"_Mattie…"_

"_Shove it dickwad!"_ The look on Nida's face had been priceless, he had never been called that before.

"Dude, no way you guys didn't pass, I mean… seriously!"

"Thank you Zell." Nida smiled at his enthusiasm, though the smile was cut short by the coming trio.

"Well, well, well, look who's back from the principles office." Rinoa snorted,

"You'll get yours Seifer… shortly I would think."

"I didn't fail." He couldn't leave well enough alone.

"Yes you did, and you know it." She also couldn't leave well enough alone, despite Quistis' advice.

"So sure are you?" He said with a smirk.

"Hmm."

"And if I pass?" He questioned.

"I highly doubt it." Rinoa answered him, looking down the hallway, inadvertently staring at a silent Squall.

"But if I do?" He smirked again, she sighed and rolled her eyes then looked at him as seriously as possible.

"I'll make you chocolate chip cookies." His smirk slowly turned into what could only be described as a dumbfounded and confused look. It was an unexpected reply. From both her comment and Seifer's reaction Selphie Zell, and Rajin both burst out laughing and Fujin smiled shortly. No one noticed the small smirk on Squall's face. At least that's what _he _thought.

"Dude, you are capable of other facial expressions!" Zell announced causing everyone who was waiting for the results to turn to Squall which immediately brought the scowl back. "I swear he was smiling!" Zell muttered. The others returned to their quiet talking as Squall leaned against the wall. Seifer was standing silently next to Fujin and Rajin as Zell "swatted at flies" a safe distance away, and Seifer didn't comment. Rinoa was sitting next to Selphie and Squall would occasionally catch her looking at him. It didn't matter if he was looking at Rinoa, he just knew. But when he did look at her, she appeared to be listening to Selphie but her eyes were in the distance, almost like she was looking through him. It was unnerving.

Her eye's didn't hold the lust that many girls did while catching glimpses of him. He found the attention annoying but ignorable. Seifer on the other hand, loved the attention girls gave him, but never took it seriously. But how Rinoa was looking at him, it was in confusion, and frustration, like he was a puzzle she couldn't figure out how to solve. No one would ever solve him though, no one could understand and there was no point in hoping that anyone ever could. After all there really wasn't much to understand, he had always been alone, he liked being alone, he acted alone, so he was left alone… for the most part anyway.

"Attention!" Everyone was on their feet and standing tall. Three hooded Garden Faculty members stood in V formation. The front one was holding the list of those who had passed in his hooded glove.

"Will the following cadets please step forward."

"Camirosa… Teja Camirosa" He smiled… his group hadn't seen much action but they kept on guard and there was no funny business on his part. It wasn't a surprise that he made it.

"Dincht… Zell Dincht."

"OHHHHH YEAHHHHHH!" Zell jumped punching his fist high into the air, unable to keep it in. "See ya!" He ran forward into the hallway behind the Garden Faculty.

"Heartilly… Rinoa Heartilly." She stepped forward, her face serious while she did a mental victory dance within her mind.

"Kaisua… Shatti Kaisua." She skipped past the faculty as she giggled happily, no action and no screwing off meant instant pass. She was a happy camper.

"Leonhart… Squall Leonhart." He was slightly surprised, but you wouldn't know it. He had done his best and his outward demeanor showed nothing other than perhaps the fact that passing had been expected.

"Nihfoia… Nida Nihfoia." Nida walked forward stiffly, he was surprised considering he had gone against orders.

"Tilmitt… Selphie Tilmitt." She jumped up, keeping her squealing to a minimum as she walked passed the Faculty.

"I'm sooo glad all that running was for something!" She whispered to herself.

"That is all from Squads A. B. C. and D. Dismissed!" A collection of groans could be heard from the hallway behind, but if they hadn't passed, they weren't meant to.

* * *

"These are the seven students who passed today's exam" The three Garden faculty announced. The seven walked forward and assembled into a line standing at attention. The Headmaster stepped forward,

"First of all, Congratulations." He smiled and made eye contact with all seven of them, "However… From now on as a member of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world. While we are proud to introduce you tonight as the next generation of SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers, there is one thing I would like to say." He paused, then sighed, closing his eyes gathering his strength to say whatever it is he had to say next.

"SeeD soldiers are combat specialists. BUT… That is only one aspect of SeeD." He sighed again, "When the time comes…"

"Headmaster…" The Garden Faculty member interrupted, "It's almost time for the meeting. Please make this short." The headmaster's shoulders slumped, when he made no effort to continue the Garden Faculty member began his own, to the point speech.

"SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden. Its reputation is solely dependent on each one of you. Handle your missions with care." The Faculty member looked over to the aged man who was staring out the huge window behind his desk, "Is that what you wanted to say, sir?"

"Yes, in the end, I suppose it is."

"Here are the SeeD rank report's!" The Faculty member gave a small stack of thick mint paper, to the Headmaster. All but one had an attached bag with the new SeeD's uniform in it.

He already knew everyone's passing grade, it had taken some hedging on his part to get Nida and Rinoa to pass, albeit at the lowest of levels, but NORG had agreed that Nida would prove useful. Rinoa had passed, only because NORG wanted her out of the system, he wanted her gone. It was understandable, from a financial and political viewpoint, but still… she deserved better than this… so much better…

"Here you go." He started down the line forcing a smile on his face for everyone else. Each report was signed by Headmaster Cid Kramer and the Garden Master. And below each report was a small note that he would tell them before they opened it, but it would be there in writing for them to remember always.

"You have a wonderful personality! I'm sure the Garden Festival will be wonderful." He smiled as he whispered to Selphie. She had wonderful tracking skills for an armature. She had found group B with such and her reasoning skills to boot. She would be a wonderful addition to Garden… Plus, she never lost hope.

"You're a great pilot, do your best, even if you don't always stand out." He whispered to Nida. He had mostly been behind the wheel of a boat, and he was an excellent driver… If Garden ever needed a flagship, Nida would be the first driver on his list.

"Finally… A Gunblade specialist! I've been looking forward to this day, and it has come at last." Cid smiled at him, knowing far more about the future than the boy did. he had guided Squall to the best of his ability. He could only hope that Squall would live up to what was coming.

"You're quick on your feet; just remember to keep an eye on the your back when no one else can." He nodded to Shatti. She was faster than Selphie, but she used to have a small habit of falling into a tunnel vision like state. She had grown a lot since then, but a healthy reminder never hurt.

"You know the rule book well, you're a great fighter, and you're not afraid to say what is right and what is wrong… I wish I could have given you better." Cid whispered to Rinoa as he gave her the report, with no attached uniform. There was a flash of confusion as she noticed the difference as well as the headmasters expression, but she quickly controlled her own reaction. However his complexion was so similar to Seifer's… not color wise, but as in the existence of color in general, it completely mystified her how so many in color could be in one place, unless she was getting her color sight back…

"You have the enthusiasm to get you anywhere, but sometimes it may be useful to control your emotions a little." He smirked as he whispered to Zell, who wasn't moving an inch. The boy was a top notch fighter, but he still needed to work on his control some. But Zell had always been like that… ever since they had first met, Zell had been a bundle of misunderstood energy. Cid was glad that Zell had found a way to focus it elsewhere.

"You're a good fighter, you keep your cool in stressful situations, and you don't go looking for trouble where there isn't any. A model SeeD." He whispered to Teja. He was laid back… the comic relief and a great friend… a future leader no doubt.

Cid stood back to view the graduates… trying not to think of a day long since past… a day when children ran along the beach, swam in the water on calm days… they had changed so much. A sad smile reached his face as the Faculty member broke him from his stupor.

"This ends the SeeD inauguration. Dismissed!" All graduates stood at attention and saluted. Marching single file out the door, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen to Rinoa, when she realized what was to occur…

As he walked to his meeting with NORG concerning Seifer, he could not help but fall back into the dream of a life where Squall was just a curious boy… a boy who had his sister and his best friend. It was obvious he didn't remember her, nor did she remember him. Part of him felt sorry for the two… knowing what he did. The other part couldn't be more thankful, if they knew… After finding each other, separation would not be an option.

Not for the first time, and not for the last, he wished that his wife were here. She would see them, she would love them as her own as she always had… If only.

* * *

The graduates returned to the second floor. They were to stand in front of their fellow Cadets… the ones who had been on the mission but had not made it, as the graduates would be introduced as SeeD's. It was tradition.

They stood in front of the silent crowd for several moments before Seifer stepped forward and began clapping. Fujin soon joined him, the Rajin… then the others joined as well. The Seven stood proud, albeit slightly surprised at Seifer's actions. When the crowd disbanded, most to go eat before getting ready for the ball, the seven opened their manila folders to look at their grades.

Rinoa stared, stunned into silence… they were the lowest possible passing grades. Then she looked to the note at the bottom.

**Miss Rinoa Caraway:**

**Congratulations on becoming a SeeD! Normally, having passed Balamb's Exam, you would remain here. However, taking your family into consideration; Your transfer has been denied.**

**When you return to Galbadia Garden, you may continue to further your education, or you may leave the system to find a separate career should you chose to do so.**

**Good Luck.**

**Sincerely**

_**The Garden Master & Headmaster Cid Kramer**_

Her gray world became a haze of red. Her father prevented her escape yet again… and she was passed only so that they could not so subtly push her out the door. Closing Garden's gates behind her. Her anger felt out of control, like she needed release, like she needed to hurt something.

She didn't hear Selphie asking how she did, she did not hear Zell's whoop of accomplishment, she did not see Nida's smile, she did not see the confusion in Squall's eyes… the confusion caused by feeling an anger that was not his own. She attempted to walk away, she needed to cool down… but she wasn't watching where she was going. She tripped on thin air landing in what felt like arms.

She couldn't quite tell because the moment she was caught, her knees buckled on her. She closed her eyes shut, blocking out the world as best she could. It felt like she was being physically drained of her anger, as if she had been teetering on the edge of a cliff, she was falling and someone grabbed her and pulled her back mid-fall. She gasped, knowing her anger, but not feeling it.

Suddenly able to think, she realized that someone was holding her up, she regained her balance and stepped back, the hands let go.

"I'm s-sorry. Tripped, I think." She blushed, feeling like an idiot for her statement and for blushing, then she looked up to see who it was who had caught her. She could not help the thrill of fear that shot down her spine, but she quickly controlled it as she stuttered out,

"Th-thanks." She made a run for it trying not to look panicked as Squall looked at her somewhat annoyed and oddly amused, by her behavior. He told himself that catching her was some strange deranged version of self defense as she was falling towards him… somehow he didn't quite believe that yet.

"HEY! Rinny wait up, we need to get ready for the ball!"

* * *

AN: Again, I appologize for such a freakishly long wait. Next time a chapter is posted, this story will just be "Where all paths end"

And if you want some really random info about this chapter, go to my profile and the journal at the top has some stuff (kind of dumb but hey…. whatever)


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